Intercon Uses Reverse Engineering to Recycle Styrofoam

E-waste recycler moves over to polystyrene with high-volume extruder technology.

Feb 03, 2011

Just one Styrofoam cup can take 500 years to decompose in landfills. And because polystyrene (more widely known as Styrofoam) is the material most commonly used in packing products in the United States, its presence in landfills is inevitable.

Illinois-based national e-Waste recycler Intercon Solutions has designed a state-of- the-art Expanded Polystyrene densification machine using high-volume extruder technology, a company press release stated. The machine compresses polystyrene into tough slabs, or ingots, by processing it through a crusher, multiple heat bands, and an extruder. The process is safe and clean, with no harmful emissions, according to the company.

Intercon Solutions CEO Brian Brundage said: “We had to establish a method for recycling what the nation is using right now, and Styrofoam isn’t something consumers are going to stop using anytime soon. We recognized the need, and went to work, creating the first solution of its kind in our industry.”

Founded in 1987, the company has developed an efficient and responsible way to turn end-of-life electronic machines, scrap, and equipment into the raw materials, eliminating the need to import and/or mine for materials. Its ISO 9001-, 14001-, and OHSAS 18001- certified Management Systems are used during the de-manufacturing processes that take place in a more than 250,000-square-foot facility in Chicago Heights, Ill. The company also operates facilities in The Huntsville, Ala.; Sacramento, Calif.; Tampa, Fla.; St. Louis, Mo.; Concord, N.C.; Dallas, Texas; Vancouver, BC; and Ottawa and Toronto, ON in Canada; and an international facility in London, England.